Jason,
The reason I have the client data on the invoice as related fields is
that it gives easy and instant access for the person entering data to
make changes to client's details. Any changes advised by the client can
be modified on the invoice screen without having to go into the client's
data table.
I know this alters older invoices with that new data, however, if you
need to re send an old invoice it will go to the right address not an
old one which will not arrive.
I guess there are alternatives as we all know and I'm sure every client
has a need for one of them.
Jason L DeLooze wrote:
Lee,
Why can't you use a lookup to hold the related data you want to "freeze in
time"? Some information, such as an item's current price, should be frozen when the
order is placed, while other information, such as the Customer's shipping address, should
be frozen when the invoice is printed and order is shipped. The above can be achieved
using lookups, with a re-lookup for some information (shipping address, for example)
during the final printing just before locking the record(s).
For example, you will lock the Invoice which also holds the updated Customer
information via a re-lookup during printing. Also, you will lock the Invoice
Line Items just before Invoice printing, and the Invoice Line Items will
contain Pricing information captured via a lookup during the order process.
Best wishes,
Jason L. DeLooze
Annapolis, MD USA
On 4/3/09 at 10:40 PM +1100, Lee wrote:
Rick,
Thanks for your suggestion, yes I've already worked that out but there are a
few problems. Primarily, any related fields on a record that has been 'locked'
using privileges will also restrict any modifications to that information in
the appropriate layouts/tables that hold that data by the same people locked
out of those records. For example if the record is an invoice and the client's
name/address etc are related fields then the 'client' table that holds those
records cannot be modified to update an address for example.
Tricky but there are limitations whichever way you go. Obviously the client
info could be a lookup which would solve that problem but it removes the auto
updating of client data when the invoice is first raised, again such as phone
numbers/address etc.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Lee
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